Jury Recommends Death Sentence For Enoch Hall

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - WESH.com

A jury has unanimously recommended the death sentence for Enoch Hall, the man convicted of stabbing to death a Florida corrections officer.

The jury's recommendation was made Thursday at about 7:45 p.m., after deliberating for two hours.

The Florida Supreme Court played a role Thursday in delaying closing arguments in Hall's penalty phase.

The state's high court revised jury instructions in death penalty cases just as Judge David Walsh was about to give the jury hearing Hall's case their instructions. This led to defense and state lawyers haggling for hours and delaying closing arguments until shortly after 4 p.m.

"We're hoping for a verdict in our favor, which is the right verdict," said Assistant State Attorney Leah Case. "Actually it's been 16 months in coming and we want to get this done today."

The family of murdered corrections officer Donna Fitzgerald listened to testimony about the last minutes of her life.

The last person to testify before the jury was told of the revised instructions was state witness Dr. Wayne Myers. He disputed a defense theory that an overdose of Ibuprofen led Hall to become so agitated that he killed Fitzgerald when she startled him.

The state maintained that Hall showed no mercy when he beat and repeatedly stabbed Fitzgerald.

"Stabbing somebody to death 22 times is heinous, atrocious and cruel," said Case. "This defendant intended to cause Donna Fitzgerald pain and he was indifferent to her suffering."

Fitzgerald's family said a death sentence is the only fitting punishment.

"Nothing will ever bring her back," said Dana Shure, the victim's sister. "It will make it somewhat a little easier. I hope she can rest a little more in peace knowing that she's getting the justice that she deserves."

It was unknown when the judge will confirm the jury's decision.

Stay with WESH 2 News and WESH.com for more details.

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